PoE 3.21 SSFSC (3:56) Fresh League,Leveling Occultist Wintertide Brand/Cold DoT.

https://imgur.com/BwOmHEi (Very Professional Picture of Tree Progression.) Warning: This build is Socket Heavy and was made for Campaign / Early map progression, anything that is beyond that is left for your discovery. I am neither the best player, neither it's best option for Wintertide Brand Cold DoT, it's more of how i would do so if i had a task to complete Campaign, have done all 3 Labyrinths and be prepared for early mapping on Wintertide Brand on Fresh account/League Start under 4h. Enjoy! Before reading B- Blue Socket R- Red Socket G-Green Socket, also uses of those imply that those are linked: Name is "Nessa" means interact with NPC after completing quest (mostly run forward or kill stuff). / means or. ( ) is Extra context, Optional Option or Cost of Gem. You can sell Blacksmith's Whetstone, Orb of Transmutation, Orb of Alteration to a vendor for 4 Wisdoms. You can sell Unidentified Magic/Rare for Transmutation Shard. (20 Shards will transform into 1 Orb of Transmutation) You can sell Identified Magic/Rare for Alteration Shards. (20 Shards will transform into 1 Orb of Alteration) If Identified Rare has 6 Affixes (3 Prefixes and 3 Suffixes) when sold it will give you 1 Orb of Augmentation. Always sell not Needed Unique items Identified. If you don't have Hideout you can Unlock 1st from doing it in Hideout in Dread Ticket (marked with Blue icon) Act 2 that zone can be accessed from Northern Forest, or in The Sewers (Act 3). On Weapons look for: (Goes by priority) +1 to Level of all Spell Skill Gems (Very Very Rare) ( from weapons with 55+ item Level). +1 to Level of all Cold Spell Skill Gems (Very Rare) to Cold Damage over Time Multiplier (Rare)/to Damage over Time Multiplier (Rare) Spell Damage (Higher better). On Shields: +1 to Level of all Cold Spell Skill Gems (Very Rare) (only Pure Energy Shield base). Spell Damage (Higher better). Lightning/Cold/Fire/Chaos Resistance. to maximum Life. Gloves/Boots/Helmet/Body Armour: Needed Links (and anything else that goes with it) to maximum Life, Lightning/Cold/Fire/Chaos Resistance. Amulet. Attributes,to maximum Life, Lightning/Cold/Fire/Chaos Resistance. If they all good than: to Damage over Time Multiplier (Very Rare) increased Cast Speed (Rare) Belt, Rings: Attributes,to maximum Life, Lightning/Cold/Fire/Chaos Resistance. Act 1: Required Budget: 3+2 Wisdom,2 Transmute 1.) Take Freezing Pulse from Tarkleigh (Freezing Pulse + Arcane Surge). 2.) Check items for 3B 2B1R 2B1G RGB items (can be also BR GB BB)/ for weapons only wands. (RGB item is essential) 3.) Buy Holy Flame Totem (1 Wisdom). 4.)Take Summon Phantasms/Chance to Poison,from Nessa. 5.)Take Flame Wall from Tarkleigh. 6.) Link Holy Flame Totem + (Summon Phantasms/Chance to Poison),Frostblink + Arcane Surge (+ Freezing Pulse), or Freezing Pulse + Chance to Poison. After getting to Lower Prison 7.) Take Efficacy from Nessa. 8.) Buy Frost Bomb (1 Wisdom) from Nessa. 8.1) Buy Arcane Surge (1 Wisdom) from Nessa if you have Free 2B1G (Freezing Pulse + Chance to Poison + Arcane Surge). (if 3rd variant and have links) After Brutus 9.) Buy Clarity from Nessa (1 Transmute). 10.) Take Flame Dash from Tarkleigh, place it instead of Frost Blink. After getting to Caverns 11.) Take Creeping Frost from Nessa. 11.1) (Buy Arcane Surge, Volley (2 Wisdoms) from Nessa). 12.) Buy Wintertide Brand (1 Transmute) from Nessa. 13.) If level 12 Take out Freezing Pulse, Flame wall. 13.1) if no free Links take out Chance to Poison, Holy Flame Totem, Summon Phantasms. Note: If you have Iron Ring you can sell it with Frostblink to get Sapphire Ring, that will make Merveil (Act boss) way easier for you. Act 1 before Boss Links: Flame Dash + Arcane Surge(lvl1) WIntertide Brand + Arcane Surge + Efficacy Creeping Frost + (Arcane Surge + Volley) (Holy Flame Totem + Summon Phantasms/Chance to Poison) (Optional) Clarity (leave it at level 1-3) Frost Bomb Act 2. (Kill all bandits) Required Budget: (1 Transmute),3 Alteration After Chambers of Sins 2 13.) Buy Skitterbots, Cold Snap (2 Alteration) from Yeena. 13.1.) Buy Jade Amulet (1 Transmute) from Yeena. (if didn't find one beforehand and need Dexterity) 13.) Take Arctic Armour from Greust. (optional to use) 13.1.) Take out (Holy Flame Totem + Summon Phantasms/Chance to Poison) if you still had it. After Weaver 14.) Take Controlled Destruction from Silk. (Wintertide Brand + Controlled Destruction + Efficacy) 15.) Buy Controlled Destruction (1 Alteration) from Yeena. (Cold Snap + Controlled Destruction/Arcane Surge + Creeping Frost) Note: If you have struggle with Vaal Ruins Zone consider getting Ruby Ring or Two Stoned ring with Fire resistance+Cold/Lightning Resistance, For Act 2 Boss you'll mostly need Lightning Resistance. Act 2 before Boss Links: Flame Dash + Arcane Surge(lvl1) Wintertide Brand + Controlled Destruction + Efficacy Creeping Frost + Cold Snap + Controlled Destruction/Arcane Surge Clarity (leave it at level 1-3) Frost Bomb Summon Skitterbots Arctic Armour (optional to use) Note: Don't Forget to Grab Craft from Boss Room "Increased Spell Damage", you can craft it on weapons if it has open Prefix (1 on magic,3 on rare) for 4 Alterations per weapon in your Hideout with Crafting Bench. Act 3. Required Budget: 1 Alteration,1 Chance From this Point look for 3B1G, 4B, 2B1R1G. After Crematorium 16.) Buy Malevolance (1 Alteration) from Clarrisa. 16.1.)If level 24+ replace Summon Skitterbots with Malevolance. 16.2.) Take out Arctic Armour (as you'll need way more mana). 17.) Take Frostbite from Maramoa. After Gravicious/Piety 18.)Buy Vortex(1 Chance) from Clarrisa. (Vortex + Arcane Surge(lvl 9-) + Controlled Destruction) (have arcane surge with mana activation less than Vortex mana cost x3) 18.1) Buy Controlled Destruction (1 Alteration) from Yenna (Act 2). Note: Be careful at Dominus his Ads can wipe you (first pack/ Cyclone and Fireball Unique Monster) so kite those while retreating behind crates. Act 3 Before Boss Links: Wintertide Brand + Controlled Destruction + Efficacy Creeping Frost + Cold Snap + Controlled Destruction/Arcane Surge Vortex + Arcane Surge(lvl 9-) + Controlled Destruction (have arcane surge with mana activation less than Vortex mana cost x3) Frost Bomb Malevolance Fire Dash Act 4. Required Budget: None Kill monster look for links, balance your resistance, pick up rare wands. Act 4 Before Boss Links: Same as in Act 3. 19.) After killing Malachai (Final act 4 boss).Take BoneChill from Dialla in Town. (Vortex + Arcane Surge(lvl 9-) + Bone Chill + Controlled Destruction) Act 5. Get Resistances set up and Currency for Act 6. Act 5 Before Boss Links: Wintertide Brand + Controlled Destruction + Efficacy Creeping Frost + Cold Snap + Controlled Destruction/Arcane Surge Vortex + Arcane Surge(lvl 9-)+ Bone Chill + (Controlled Destruction) (have arcane surge with mana activation less than Vortex mana cost x3) Frost Bomb Malevolance Fire Dash Clarity Act 6. Required Budget: 3 Transmute,1 Alteration,4 Chance After Twilight Strand quest completion. Buy from Lilly (Act 6 or in your Hideout): Shield Charge (1 Transmute). Determination (1 Alteration). Inspiration(1 Chance). Clarity (1 Transmute). (level 1 for now than level it up till you have unreserved mana around 60-70) Faster Attacks (1 Transmute) Hypothermia x3 (3 Chance). Links: Wintertide Brand+ Controlled Destruction + Hypothermia + Inspiration Vortex + Arcane Surge(lvl 10-) + Bone Chill + Hypothermia/Controlled Destruction Creeping Frost+ Cold Snap + Hypothermia + Controlled Destruction Shield Charge + Faster Attacks Non Links: Flame Dash Malevolance Frost Bomb Frostbite Determination Blast! Note: After Completing Merciless Labyrinth you taking Unholy Authority go to Act 3 and Buy Frostbite, Elemental Weakness, Bane (3 Alteration) link them together, your Curses will have Reduced effect but QoL of applying 2 Curses at once with 1 button press (and in future 3 curses) Note: PoB don't show all 3 Wintertide Brand DoT dps but 1, also it has Ramp time. So DoT from WIntertide in general is higher than PoB show. Note: You can level up Arcane Surge to Level 10 after you hit level 56. Avoid this Monster modifiers: Curse, Cold, Chill and Freeze Resistant, Monsters Poison on Hit. Avoid this Map Modifiers: Reflect Elemental Damage (doable, but why risk), + 2 Projectile, Multiple Phys as Element, Phys as Chaos (while having Low Chaos resistance).